Foods Of Rasullulah (Peace Be Upon Him)
- ‘Âishah (R.A) says: “Till the demise of Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him), his family never ate a full stomach of bread made of barley for two consecutive days”.
- lbn ‘Abbâs (R.A) reports that: “Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) and his family spent many consecutive nights without food, because there would be no supper. The bread of Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) was mostly made of barley”. (Sometimes bread made of wheat was also available).
- Someone asked Sahl bin Sa’d (R.A) “Did Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) ever eat bread made of white (fine) flour?” He replied: White flour may not have come before Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) till his last days”. The questioner then asked: “Did you people use sieved flour in the time of Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him)?” He replied: “No, it was not”. The questioner then asked: “How was bread from barley prepared?” (because it has more particles in it). Sahl (R.A) replied: “We used to blow into the flour and the big particles flew out. The rest was made into dough”.
- Anas (R.A) reports that.. “Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) never ate food from a table, nor from small plates, nor was chapaati (a type of thin bread) ever made for him. Yunus (R.A) says, I asked Qataadah: ‘Then on what did Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) put and eat his food’?’. He replied: on this leather dastarkhaan”‘.
- Masruq þ says. “I went to ‘Âishah (R.A). She ordered’ food for me and began saying ‘I never eat a stomachful but feel like crying, then I do cry’. Masruq asked: ‘Why do you feel like crying?’. She replied: ‘I remember that condition of Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) on which he left us for the next world. I swear by Allah that, he never filled his stomach twice in one day with meat or bread”‘.
- ‘Âishah (R.A) says: “Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) once said: ‘What a nice curry vinegar is”‘.
Commentary
The reason being there is not much trouble in it. Bread can easily be eaten with it. It is always easily available. It also keeps away formalities. Besides one lives in this world for a little while. Vinegar has many benefits in it. It is an antidote for poison. It stops phlegm and gall. It helps digest food, kills the worms of the stomach and creates a good appetite. Due to its cold effect, it may not be good for some people. But it surely is a good curry which is obtained easily. In whatever way it is praised, its full benefits cannot be emphasized. It is stated in a Hadîth that Sayyidunâ Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) ate it and said: ‘What a wonderful curry it is’. In another Hadîth it is stated that Sayyidunâ Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) made du’â for barakah in it and said: “It was the curry of the previous Ambiyâ (A.S.) also’. In one Hadîth it is stated, ‘The house that has vinegar in it, will not be in need’ i.e. That house will not be in need of curry.
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- Safeena (R.A) says: “I ate the meat of Hubaa-raa with Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him)”.
Commentary
Hubaa-raa is a type of a bird. It is a wild bird and has a greyish colour, a large neck and long legs, the beak is also slightly large, and it flies at a speed. It is also known as jarj. The Greeks call it Ghalofas. In size it is between a Heron and a water fowl.
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- Abu Usayd (R.A) says. “Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) said: ‘Use olive oil in eating and for rubbing (on the body), for it is from a mubârak (blessed) tree”‘.
Commentary
The blessedness of this tree has been mentioned in the Qur’ân in the âyah “. . . from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the East nor of the West, . . . ” -Suralt An Nur, 35. The ‘Ulamâ have mentioned different reasons for its blessedness. Some say it is mostly grown in Syria and the earth of Syria is blessed because seventy Prophets were sent to it. Some say it is blessed because of its many benefits. Abu Nu’aym says: ‘It has a cure for seventy diseases of which one is leprosy’. Ibn ‘Abbâs (R.A) says: ‘Every part of the olive is beneficial. The oil is used for burning and cooking. It is also used for tanning. Its wood is used for firewood. The ash of the olive is -especially good for washing silk’. It is said that the olive tree has a long life. It bears fruit after forty years and has a life span of a thousand years.
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- Anas bin Malik (R.A) says: “Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) loved gourd (dubbaa-dodhi-kadu). Once food -was presented to Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) or he attended an invitation. (The narrator doubts on which occasion this took place) where gourd was served. I knew Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) loved it. I searched for pieces from the curry and presented it to him”.
Commentary
We gather from this that if there are many things in a plate, then it is permissible to take a thing which one likes from the other side of the plate, provided the next person does not feel offended. The reason for searching for pieces of gourd is because it was the custom to have more gravy in the curry. Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) also advised us to have more gravy in the curry so that the neighbours may also benefit.
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- ‘Âishah (R.A) says: “Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) loved halva and honey”.
Commentary
Halva here apparently means anything sweet. Some are of the opinion that it is a special type of halva that is made of sweetmeats and ghee The first person to present halva to Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) was Sayyidunâ ‘Uthmân (R.A). Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) liked it. This halva was made of flour, ghee and honey. Sugar was not commonly used in those times. Sweetening agents were derived from honey or dates.
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- Umm Salamah (R.A) says “I presented a roasted side portion of meat to Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him). He ate it and (thereafter) performed Salâh, without performing wudû”.
- Abdullah bin Hârith (R.A) says.. “We ate roasted meat with Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) in the Masjid”.
- Abu Hurairah (R.A) says: “Meat was sent to Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) from someone. From it the forequarter was presented to Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him).. He loved this portion (of the meat too). Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) tore the meat with his teeth and ate it”. (He did not use a knife to cut it).
- Abdullah bin, Ja’far (R.A) says: “Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) said: ‘The best meat is that of the back portion’
Commentary
There is no contradiction between this and other narrations in which it is mentioned that he liked the meat of the dhiraa portion. Due to different reasons and the quality, both can be good. For example, strength wise or it having less fibre, more fat etc. Therefore due to different aspects, both could be preferred and also be excellent.
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- Hazrat Abu Mûsâ Ash’ari (R.A)says that Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him), “The virtues of Âishah (radiallâhu anhâ) over other women is the same as the virtue of thareed over other foods.”
Commentary
From this Hadîth we learn the excellence and superiority of Sayyidatina Âishah radiallâhu anhâ over the other women, and thareed over other foods. Thareed is a delicacy in which bread is mixed with gravy. Besides being tasty and nourishing, it digests quickly and easily, and has other benefits too. It is a custom in Arabia to eat this delicacy, and was counted amongst the best foods.
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- Hazrat Anas Ibn Malik (R.A) reports, “Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) celebrated the waleemah of Safiyyah radiallâhu anhâ with dates and saweeq (sattu).”
Commentary
Saweeq (sattu) is a drink made of parched barley. Safiyyah bint Huyay ibn Akhtab radiallâhu anhâ was from a Jewish family and from among the offsprings of Haroon (A.S). In the year AH 7, after the Battle of Khaibar, she was taken as a slave. Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) freed, and married her. Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) once said to her, “Your grandfather (Haroon (A.S.)) was a prophet. Your (great) uncle (Mûsâ (A.S.)) was a prophet, and your husband is a prophet.” The waleemah was made whilst on a journey. What was served in the waleemah? Different sayings are narrated in the Ahâdîth. In some, it is narrated that hays, which is a type of sweet dish, was served. In some, cheese is mentioned. It is apparent that they were on a journey and whatever was available, at breakfast time, in the possession of Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) and his close associates, was included in the waleemah.
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- Hazrat Salmah radiallâhu anhâ says that Hazrat Hasan, Hazrat Abdullah Ibn Abbas and Hazrat Abdullah Ibn Ja’far Sadiq y came to her and said, “Cook for us the food that Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) liked and ate with pleasure.” She replied, “O’ my children, you will not like it now.” (It was only liked in times of hardships.) They replied, “Of course, we will surely like it.” She got up and took a bit of barley, (crushed it) and put it in a pot, and poured a little olive oil over it, then crushed some chillies and spices and added it to the pot and served it, saying, “This is what Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) loved (and ate with pleasure).”
Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) ‘s foods
“He used not to take any hot food.”
“Meat was his most favorite curry.”
“Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) amongst all other foods, liked pumpkin.”
“He used to eat the meat of hunted birds.”
“He liked dried dates among dates.”
Âishah (R.A) had this to say about the food Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) enjoyed: “Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) loved halva and honey.” “Among foods, he liked mutton, broth, pumpkins, sweet things, honey, dates, milk, cream, melons, grapes and cucumbers. He also liked cold water.” She adds: “Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) ate watermelon with fresh dates.” “He never condemned the food. He used to eat what he liked and did not eat what he did not like.” “Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) loved the meat of the forequarter.”
These are some of the things Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) said about certain foods:
“What a nice curry vinegar is.”
“Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) said that mushroom is a good cure for the eyes, it also arrests paralysis.”
“Illnesses are cured by means of three things: (one of them) is a drink of honey.”
“Use olive oil as a food and ointment for it comes from a blessed tree.”
What Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) liked to drink
Âishah (R.A) tells us that:
“The drink most liked by Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) was that which was sweet and cold.”
“Nabeez was prepared from dried grapes for Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) and dates were, also, put in it, or it was prepared from dried dates, and grapes, too, were put in it.”
“The best of drinks to the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) was sweet cold drink.”
“Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) said; besides milk there is nothing else that serves the purpose of both milk and water.”
“When one of you eats food, he should say: ‘O Allah, bless us in it, and give us food (or nourishment) better than it.’ When he is given milk to drink he should say: ‘O Allah! Bless us in it and give us more of it, for no food or drink satisfies like milk’.”
What Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) said about water
Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) took great care to distribute water, particularly on journeys. On one particular journey, for instance, he stopped somewhere and asked for water from those around him. After washing his hands and face, he drank from the water, and told his companions; “pour some of its water on your faces and chests.”
After drinking water, he prayed:
“All praise is due to Allah Who has made it delicious and sweet by His grace and has not made it either salty or unsavory.”
On another occasion, Rasûlullâh (Peace be upon him) said:
“Water was created pure and nothing makes it impure except that which changes its color, taste and smell.”